Susan and Jerry Gustafson display the craftsmanship available at the SaddleBrooke Gift Shop.
Tom Costner
Robson Communities are blessed with great creative minds and here at SaddleBrooke we have an abundance of such individuals. Your SaddleBrooke Gift Shop is pleased to showcase the talents of new artists, Susan and Jerry Gustafson.
Lifelong Minnesotans, Jerry from St. Peter, Minnesota, and Susan, Edina, Minnesota. They met at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, married after graduation and now celebrate over 50 years of marriage. Jerry then earned his MBA from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
They have two adult children with four very active grandsons between them living in the Minneapolis area where they periodically return for hockey, lacrosse, tennis and soccer events at the boys’ high schools.
Jerry’s career centered on the medical industry as Administrator of several nephrology physician groups and contractor of many dialysis units in the Minneapolis area. Susan pursued her career teaching in the Robbinsdale suburban metro area.
Before retirement they visited Tucson several times while their son was the General Manager at Tanque Verde Ranch before returning to Minnesota for a job opportunity. After retiring they traveled the U.S. visiting similar retirement communities, but none matched SaddleBrooke. Susan says, “It turned out to be an easy decision as Jerry was ecstatic when we left the lawn mower and snow blower behind us.” Sound familiar?
Susan has produced a line of unique stamped and embossed note cards for many years, but an unexpected hand injury brought Jerry into the creative world as Susan needed his physical strength to press the stamps on the cards. When card stock is embossed, the stamped image is raised in relief, where significant pressure is required to make the impression.
After Jerry’s stint in assisting Susan he stretched his creative wings and with encouragement of several tennis friends, he visited the pottery room in the crafts area and soon thereafter began creating cactus wall hangings from clay.
An avid tennis player, he frequently visits the fitness center and swims in the lap pool. He sings in the Canada del Oro Barbershop Chorus, a quartet Special Blend, while Susan joins him in the SaddleBrooke Resurrection Choir.
Susan, an avid Mah Jongg and bridge player, enjoys the fitness center, pool and Qi Gongg. Playing golf weekly with golfing friends, she joins Jerry for a round or two as well. They enjoy their many SaddleBrooke friends and consider SaddleBrooke their retirement paradise!
Visit the SaddleBrooke Gift Shop today and admire Jerry’s clay creations and the embossed note cards created by Susan. The shop is staffed by volunteer artisans who create the articles on display. Browse among the many unique and one of a kind gorgeous jewelry pieces, multiple fabric creations, art, ceramics, photography, numerous note cards and the list goes on.
Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the SaddleBrooke Gift Shop is located Just Around the Corner on SaddleBrooke Boulevard between the tennis courts and the SaddleBrooke Clubhouse. Don’t wait; please visit today.